Satellites Can Be Used To Track Disease?

We all know that satellites can be used to map the earth's terrain. Now online maps such as Mapquest and Google Maps make these satellite images ready at our fingertips. But, did you know that satellites are now being used to track measles across the continent of Africa? Probably not. A recent study explains how this is possible.

Measles kills thousands of people in Africa each year. It is commonly spread during the dry season when workers migrate to large cities in search of work. A lot of the time there is no electricity so any fluctuation in the amount of light coming from a certain area is clearly noticeable. Assuming that someone in the population of workers has measles means that the whole group could get it because the workers are living in densely populated areas.


By tracking the light given off by the worker's camp's and villages they can track their movement across the continent. Since measles seems to follow the group, they can also track the disease and predict where it will appear next. If doctors know where the disease will be heading next, they can get there before it and administer vaccination to prevent the disease from spreading. This method can be adapted for use with many other types of illness and disease

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